I N D O N E S I A

The 17th Annual Indonesia trip has come to a close. I had the amazing opportunity to lead this adventure trip full of amazing people. Our diverse team of 21 included surfers, photographers, musicians, college students, and a family of four!

We started in Kuta, Bali and over the course of three and a half weeks, went to Bingin, Uluwatu, and Desert Point on Lombok. After that, we jumped on a boat for 7 days to Gili, Sumbawa and Nusa Lembongan. The Indo trip being a surf tour, the team got great surf at world class breaks: Impossibles, Scar Reef, Desert Point, and Shipwrecks, just to name a few. At one point, we sailed through such rough waters that our boat nearly capsized, beating any roller coaster ride money could buy, and causing us all to laugh uncontrollably as we slipped across the boat.

When trying to describe the overall experience of Indonesia, I find myself coming back to the same word:

WILD.

The surf was both perfect and threatening, the culture was colorful and bold, and the wildlife is up close and personal, a lesson quickly learned from repeat monkey invasions! The nature around us was captivating: the cliffs of Uluwatu, the views of Bingin Beach, the long jaw-dropping barrels at Desert Point, and the breathtaking views of rugged Sumbawa.

On top of getting amazing surf and a ton of laughs, we were consistently reaching out to the communities around us. One of the most amazing experiences was when we were in Desert Point on Lombok.We met a man who had his house halfway built and needed the funds and work to finish it. We had a contractor and a carpenter on the team with us, so they went to his house to check it out.After assessing the need and figuring out what we could do, the team pooled together and provided enough funds for him to get 20 days worth of labor and all the supplies he needed to have his house completed. This man was just one of the people we were able to help on the trip. We passed out clothing and school supplies everywhere we went, helped meet practical needs whenever we could, hung out with the locals, and made lifelong friends.

We also had Cameron Taylor with us, a Hawaii bodyboarder sponsored by Empire bodyboards.Empire generously stocked Cameron up with some brand new bodyboards to give to the kids in one of the most remote locations, Desert Point village on the island of Lombok. When you saw the kids get the chance to play on a board in the waters that they live right in front of their entire lives, you know it’s a gift that will keep on giving.People ask me if Indonesia was good, and I tell them Indonesia was everything: It was good, it was fun, it was hard, it was tiring, it was crazy, it was totally different from anything I’ve done, it was adventure at its essence, and it was worth every second!

For more info on the Indo trip, or to apply for next year, visit www.surfingthenations.com or email go@surfingthenations.com